Dirigible lamp.



J. A. TREPZER & G. S. OWEN.

DIRIGIBLB LAMP.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 6, 1913.

Patented July 21,1914.-

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DIRIGIBLE LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1913.

1,104,021, Patentea.1u1y21,1914

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JACQUES, ADOLPHE TREFZER, OF DETROI, AND CHARLES' S. OWEN, OF HIGHLANDPARK, MICHIGAN.

DIRIGIBLE LAMP.

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Specification of'Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1914.

Application led November-5, 1913. Serial No. 799,262.

T0 all cai/0m t may concern Be it known that we, JACQUES ADoLrHnTnnnznr., a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Detroit, in the countyof Wayne and State of ll/lichigan, and CHAnLns S. OWEN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Highland Fark, in the county of l/Vaync andState of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Dirigible Lamp, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dirigible lamps, more particularly thoseadapted for use on motor vehicles, and is embodied in a lamp that isautomatically turned to the right or left to correspond to the movementsof the front wheels, thereby illuminating theroadway ahead as thevehicle passes around curves. Its object is to provide means foroperating lamps of this character, that lnay be attached to standardtypes of motor vehicles, and be adapted to so operate a lamp mounted atany desired point upon the frame or body of the vehicle.

It consists in a pivoted shaft and means whereby the shaft is swung bythe turning movement of the front wheels to actuate a flexible cord orwire that is connected to and may turn the lamp.

It further consists in the novel details illustrated and described andpointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a. portion of thefront end of the vehicle on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a planofthe front end of the running gear of the vehicle, parts being brokenaway for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a section of the lampsupporting bracket on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, showing the lamp` shaft inposition. Fig. l4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is aplan of a bracket and lever-end that may be mounted on the axle, thelamp turning members being shown in position. Fig. 6 is a section on theline 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig.8 is a plan of a bracket and lever-end that may be attached to the mainsteering bar. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 isa section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a plan showing theconnection of the main steering rod to the lamp actuating parts on theaxle. Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12--12 of Fig. 11.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the side-bars of the frame of thevehicle,'that may consist of an'upper flange 2, a lower flange 3 and aconnecting web 4, are shown supported upon the springs 5, axle 6, andwheels 7 in the ordinary way, the wheels being carried upofn theknuckles 8. Connected to the vknuckles are the steering arms 9 that arepivotally connected at 10 to the main steering bar 11 in any well knownmanner. The steering arms, together with the main steering bar 11, maybe arranged forward of the axle if desired.

Mounted upon the bar 11 is a bracket 15, best shown in Figs. 8 and 9,that may consist of two members 16 and 17, provided with flanges 18 and19, respectively, united by bolts 20. Projecting from the member 17 isaboss 25 having a tapering neck 26 i adapted to receive and support astandard type of ball-bearing. As shown, this bearing comprises abearing ring 27 surrounding the neck 26, a second bearing ring 28surrounding the first and spaced therefrom to provide a race-way for theballs 29, said rings 27 and 28 being clamped together by the holder 30.The bearing is secured in position in any desired manner, preferably bymeans of the washer 31 and screw 32.

Mounted to swing upon the bearing just described is a member 40 thatconstitutes one end of a lever designated as a whole by 41 (Figs. 11 and12). rlhis member consists of a neck and a head, the latter having arecess 44 in which the ball bearing is mounted and wherein it isretained by the plate 45 and screws 46, and is prevented from rattlingbythe washer 47, that may be of felt, which washer will also prevent theentrance of dust or other undesirable substances. The other end of thelever 41 is shown best in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and consists in a neck 50, ahead 51, and a downwardly extending cylindrical shaft 52. This' shaftpreferably has secured thereon a standard ball-bearing of the typepreviously described, comprising the bearing ring 53, a second bearingring 54, the balls 55, and a holder 56 for securing the plates 53 and 54together. Encircling the end of the shaft beyond the bearing is a sleeve60, secured by the washer 61 and screw 62, which sleeve engages thelower edge of the holder plate 53 to retain the same in position. Theneck of the member 40 may be connected to the neck 50 of the head 51 bya pipe 63 (Figs.

11 and 12) into the ends of which the necks are inserted, therebyforming the lever 41.

The shaft 52, bearing, and sleeve mounted thereon are mounted in anopening in the bracket 65 that may be secured to the central point ofthe axle 3 by the screwbolts 66. The upper end of the opening is largerthan the lower end to receive the ball-bearing on the head 51, which isretained by the washer G9, that may be held in position by the screws70. A washer 71, preferably of felt, may be provided to prevent rattlingand the entrance of dust or other undesirable substances.

The hub 68 of the bracket 65 has the cylindrical openings 74 (Fig. 7that terminate in enlarged outer chambers 75. Extending through theopenings 74 and 75 is a wire 77 .that preferably passes around thesleeve and may be secured thereto by the screw 7 8, the latter beingpreferably threaded in the sleeve and the shaftf52 and thereby rigidlysecuring the sleeve and wire to the shaft. Each run of the wire extendsloosely through the coil of wire or similar covering 79, the ends ofwhich enter the chambers 7 5 and bear against the shoulders 76. Two setsof these wires, one extending in each direction along the axle tooperate the corresponding lamp, are shown.

A lamp 80', secured to a verticallamp shaft 81, may be mounted on theforward end of each of the side bars of the chassis or on any otherdesired part of the vehicle.

Secured to the lower side of the flange 3 of the side bar by the rivets32 and pro] ecting laterally therefrom, las shown in Figs. 1 and 2, isa. bracket 83 upon the outer end of which a second bracket, designatedas a whole by 84, may be detachably secured,

' preferably by the bolts 35. The bracket 34 comprises a lower member 86and anfupper member 37 (Figs. 3 and 4), the former having an opening SSand the latter an opening l 39, concentric with the opening 88, and bothformed with shoulders to retain proper ball bearings. y

The lamp-shaft has a reduced lower end l 90, supported in the chambers88 and 89 by ball bearings. These bearings comprise an inner bearingring 91 and an outer bearing' ring 92, the balls 93, and holders 94.vThe upper bearing is retained in position by the washer 95, which,together with the upper vided' with registering inner grooves 100 andregistering outer larger grooves 101.

The wires 77 and covering.79l heretofore described pass, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, from the axle-bracket out along the axle to a pointbeneath the corresponding side bar, at which point they rise and maypass through openings 102 in the lower flange 3 of the side bar, thenfollow the side bar forwardly to a point opposite the bracket 84, thenturn laterally and pass through openings in the web 4. The wires thenpass through the chambers 100 and 101 and encircle the lamp shaft 81,being secured thereto by the screw 103, or in any other preferredmanner. The ends of the covering 79 bear against the shoulders betweenthe chambers 100 and 101, as previously described with reference to theshoulder'76. The wires and coverings are provided, between the axle andthe point 102 as indicated in Fig. 1, with suiiicient slack to allow formovement of the frame with respect to the axle 6.

Operation: Since the bracket 65 is preferably mounted at thelongitudinal cent-er of the axle and thepin 25 is mounted at thelongitudinal center of the main steering rod 11, it is apparent that thepin 25 will be given a movement about the axis of the shaft 52substantially in the arc of a circle, no matter what may be the shape ofthe steering arms 9, and that the movement so given will correspondexactly to the steering movement of the wheels. As the shaft 52 isrotated in one direction or the other, one of the leads of the wires 77on each side will be pulled in toward the bracket 65 and the other leadwill be thrust outwardly therefrom, both leads sliding through theirrespective casings 79. The lamp-supporting shaft 81 will therefore beturned to correspo-nd to the movement of the wheels, especially when thediameters of the end 90 ofthe shaft 81 and of the sleeve 60 are equal.

It is obvious ythat many changes may be made by skilled designerswithout departing from the spirit of our invention. lt is also obviousthat the various part-s may be mounted upon standard makes of motoirvehicles, about the only changes necessary being in the lengths andsizesl of the various parts.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as our invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln a vehicle, a steering barand a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported upon the shaft, a connectingwire secured to the shaft and actuated by the bar and having a normallyslack portion, and means whereby a movement impressed upon the wire forthe purpose of causing tension therein is caused to be transmitted tothe shaft to cause a rotation thereof.

2. In a vehicle,.a steering bar and a rotatable shaft, a lamp supportedupon the shaft, a connecting wire secured to the shaft and actuated bythe bar, a flexible casing loosely surroundingthe wire, said wire andcasing` having normally slack portions, and

means whereby a movement impressed upon the wire, for the purpose ofcausing tension therein, is transmitted to the shaft to cause acorresponding rotation thereof.

3. ln a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, asecond rotatable shaft, wires connecting the shafts and having normallyslack portions, means whereby a movement impressed upon the wires by arotation of the second shaft in either direction is transmitted to theshaft upon which the lamp is supported to cause a corresponding rotationthereof, a. steering bar, and means connecting the steering bar andsecond shaft to cause a rotation of the second shaft corresponding tothe effective steering movement of the bar.

f-l. In a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, asecond rotatable shaft, wires connecting the shafts, flexiblecasings-through which the wires are respectively slidable, both wiresand casings having slack portions to permit movement between saidshafts, means whereby a movement impressed upon the wires by a rotationof the second shaftin either direction is transmitted to the shaft uponwhich the lamp is supported to cause a corresponding rotation thereof, asteering bar, and means connecting the steering bar and second shaft tocause a rotation of the second shaft corresponding to the effectivesteering movement of the bar.

5. In a vehicle, a shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, a bracket uponwhich the shaft is rotatably mounted, a second shaft, a bracket uponwhich it is rotatably mounted, each bracket having` an opening, ashoulder in the opening, a wire passing through the openings and securedto the respective shafts, a flexible casing for the wire passing intothe openings and bearing against the respective shoulders, and meanswhereby angular' motion may be given to the second rotatable shaftcorresponding to steering movements of the vehicle.

6. fn a vehicle, a rotatable shaft, a lamp supported on the shaft, abracket upon which the shaft is mounted, a second rotatable shaft, asecond bracket upon which it is mounted, said brackets each havingpaired openings and a shoulder in each of the openings, a wire passingthrough the openings and secured to the respective shafts,said wirehaving two runs,flexible casings loosely surrounding the respective runsand bearing against the respective shoulders, and means whereby motionmay be imparted to the second rotatable shaft corresponding to steeringmovements of the vehicle.

7 ln a vehicle, the combination with front wheels, front axle, springs,a frame or body carried by the springs, steering arms for the wheels,and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket securedto thesteering bar, a lever .nounted to swing upon the bracket, a secondbracket mounted upon the axle, a shaft rigidly connected to the leverand supported by the second bracket, a third bracket upon aspring-carried portion of the vehicle, a rotatable shaft mountedtherein, a lamp secured to the rotatable shaft, and flexible means fortransmitting steering movements of the steering bar to the lamp-Asupporting shaft to cause an angular rotation thereof,l said flexiblemeans comprising a wire having a normally slack portion, and a casing`loosely surrounding the wire, the casing being stiffer than the wire.

8. ln a vehicle, the combination with front wheels, front axle, springs,a frame or body carried by the springs, steering arms for the wheels,and a steering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to thesteering bar, a lever mounted to swing upon the bracket, a secondbracket mounted upon the axle, a shaft rigidly connected to the leverand supported by the second bracket, a third bracket upon aspring-carried portion of the vehicle, a rotatable shaft mountedtherein, a .lamp secured to the rotatable shaft, a wire encircling bothshafts and connecting the shafts by two runs, a flexible casing looselysurrounding each of said runs'of the wire, seats for the ends of thecasings, said runs of the wire and said casings having slack portionstherein between the axle and the spring-carried portion of the vehicle,whereby angular motion maybe imparted to the lamp-supporting shaftcorresponding to steering movements of the steering bar.`

9. In a vehicle, the combination with wheels, axle, springs, a frame orbody carried by said springs, steering arms for the wheels, and asteering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to the midpointof the steering bar, a second bracket secured to the mid-point of theaxle, a lever pivotally connected to the first bracket and rigidlyconnected to a shaft that turns in the second bracket, a rotatablelamp-supporting shaft, a lamp carried thereby, and flexible meansconnected to the first-mentioned shaft for transmitting its angularmovement to the lamp-supporting shaft, said fiexible means kcomprising`a wire having a normally slack portion, and a casingloosely surroundingthe wire, the casing being stiffer than` the wire.

l0. In a vehicle, the combination with wheels, axle, springs, a frame orbody carried by said springs, steering arms for the Wheels, and asteering bar connected to the arms, of a bracket secured to themld-point of the steering bar, a second bracket secured to the mid-pointof the aXle, a lever pivotally connected to the first bracket andrigidly connected to a shaft that turns in the second bracket, saidlever comprising tivo end portions and a body portion formed of a pipe,the end portions being` inserted in the ends of the pipe, a rotatablelainp-su} )porting shaft, a lamp carried thereby, and flexible means,connected to the lirstdnentioned shaft, for transmitting its angularmovement to the lamp-supporting shaft, said Aflexible means comprising aWire having,` a normally slack portion, and a casing loosely surroundingthe Wire, the casing being stiffer thanthe Wire. l

11. ln a vehicle, a lamp, a bracket upon Copies of this patent may ,beobtained for which the lamp is rotatably mounted, a rotatable member, abracket upon which itis rotatably mounted, each bracket having anopening, a shoulder in each opening', a wire passing through theopenings and secured to the lamp and rotatable member,'a ktlexiblecasing for the Wire passing into the openings' and bearing against therespective shoulders, and means whereby angular motion may be given tothe rotatable member corresponding to the steering movements of thevehicle.

ln testimony whereof We have signed this specifcationin the presenceoftWo subscribing Witnesses. a a

v JACQUES ADOLPHE TREFZER.

CHARLES S. OWEN. i Witnesses L. M. SPENCER,

EDWARD N. PAGELSEN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

